Camera having anti-vibration function with improved connection and placement of anti-vibration components

Abstract

A camera having improvements in (a) the placement of anti-vibration sensors, (b) the connection between components of an anti-vibration mechanism, (c) the connection between the anti-vibration mechanism and external testing devices and (d) the connection of the camera to a tripod. The camera body has first and second ends and a photographic lens which is positioned on the camera body between the first end and the second end. A battery compartment, first and second anti-vibrations sensors and a main capacitor are all positioned in the first end of the camera body. The first anti-vibration sensor is positioned between the battery compartment and the photographic lens. The first and second anti-vibration sensors reside on the same sensor card and the sensor card has a connector mounted thereon. An anti-vibration CPU resides on a separate, flexible printed circuit card and is connected to the anti-vibration sensors by inserting a portion of the flexible printed circuit card into the connector on the sensor card. Communication terminals are provided inside the camera for allowing external testing equipment to communicate with the anti-vibration sensors and the anti-vibration CPU. Moreover, the shutter release button is on the top of the camera and a tripod is fixed to the bottom of the camera so that depression forces from the pressing of the release switch are transferred to the tripod and do not cause the camera to vibrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A camera comprising: a vibration correction mechanism having an anti-vibration sensor which detects vibrations affecting the camera and produces a corresponding output, and a control unit which receives the output of the anti-vibration sensor and adjusts the camera in response to the detected vibrations;   a sensor card having a pattern thereon, the anti-vibration sensor being mounted on the sensor card and electrically connected to the pattern;   a connector mounted on the sensor card; and   a flexible printed circuit card having a pattern thereon and an insertion portion, the control unit being mounted on the flexible printed circuit card and electrically connected to the pattern, the insertion portion being inserted into the connector to electrically connect the control unit to the anti-vibration sensor via the respective patterns on the sensor card and the flexible printed circuit card.   
     
     
       2. A camera as in claim 1, further comprising: a camera body having first and second ends;   a battery positioned in the first end of the camera body;   a main capacitor which generates an electric flash and is positioned in the first end of the camera body adjacent to the battery, a space existing between the battery and the main capacitor, at least a portion of the sensor card being positioned in the space between the battery and the main capacitor.   
     
     
       3. A camera as in claim 2, wherein the first end of the camera forms a grip portion, the battery and the main capacitor being positioned inside the grip portion.